Frank E. Young (physician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank E. Young
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Young as Commissioner of Food and Drugs
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| 16th Commissioner of Food and Drugs | |
| In office July 15, 1984 – December 17, 1989 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Arthur H. Hayes Jr. |
| Succeeded by | David A. Kessler |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Frank Edward Young
September 1, 1931 Mineola, New York, U.S. |
| Died | November 24, 2019 (aged 88) Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | State University of New York Upstate Medical University (MD) |
| Uniformed service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps |
| Years of service | 1984–1996 |
| Rank |  Rear Admiral |
Frank Edward Young (September 1, 1931 – November 24, 2019) was an American doctor. He was important in making sure our food and medicines are safe. From 1984 to 1989, he led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Later, he worked for the United States Department of Health and Human Services. He also helped develop new medicines for companies.
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Education and Early Career
Frank E. Young studied medicine and science. He earned his medical degree (M.D.) in 1956 from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University. He also got a Ph.D. in microbiology in 1962 from Case Western Reserve University.
After his studies, Young became a professor. He taught microbiology and other sciences at the University of Rochester. Before leading the FDA, he was in charge of the School of Medicine and Dentistry there.
Leading the FDA
Frank Young became the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1984. The FDA is a government group that makes sure our food, medicines, and other health products are safe.
During his time at the FDA, he oversaw many important changes:
- A new law in 1984 helped make medicines more affordable. It also encouraged companies to create new drugs.
- Another law in 1987 made sure prescription drugs were sold safely and correctly.
- In 1987, the FDA approved the first medicine to help people with AIDS. This medicine was called AZT.
- He made it possible for very sick people to try new medicines. These medicines were still being tested.
- He helped the FDA handle issues with generic drugs in 1989. Generic drugs are copies of brand-name medicines. The FDA worked to make sure these drugs were high quality.
- He also managed a situation in 1989 involving Chilean grapes. The FDA temporarily stopped grapes from Chile from being sold. This happened after a threat and the discovery of two grapes that had been tampered with.
After His Time at the FDA
After leaving the FDA in 1989, Young continued to work for the government. He helped with health, science, and environmental issues. He also led offices that dealt with emergencies and national disasters. He retired from government service in 1996.
Later, Frank Young worked with pharmaceutical companies. These companies develop new medicines. He helped them get their new drugs approved by the FDA. For example, he helped with the approval of a medicine called Probuphine. He also advised many other companies on how to develop and get approval for their medicines.
Awards and Achievements
Frank Young was a very accomplished scientist. He wrote over 200 scientific papers. He also helped create some early tools used in biotechnology. He was a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
He received several awards for his work. These included special awards from the Department of Health and Human Services. He also received an award from the United States Public Health Service. In 2015, he was honored for his great work in toxicology. Toxicology is the study of how chemicals can affect living things.
Personal Life
Frank Young was born in 1931. He served in the United States Navy for a few years. He also served in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He retired from this service as a rear admiral in 1996.
He was married to Leanne Hutchinson from 1956 until she passed away in 2008. They had five children. Young also served as a pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Frank Young passed away in 2019 at the age of 88.
